Travel Series: The Beauty of Barcelona

“Tomorrow we will do beautiful things.” –Antoni Gaudí

It’s the first week of May, and, as promised, I’m starting my travel series. I’m kicking it off with one of my favorite cities in the world: Barcelona!

A little context first: with this series I plan on sharing my favorite cities and sites, recommendations from personal experiences, what to pack, and where I can’t wait to go back! Though I’ve checked quite a few places off my personal travel bucket list, there are still many places that I dream of going or places that I hope to visit again and again. I’m so grateful that my husband loves to travel as much as I do, and it’s something that we’ve made a priority in our life together.

Know that I’ll still be talking fashion, style, and some literature throughout this series, but within the parameters of that particular post’s travel destination. This is not intended to be a comprehensive guide; instead I’ll be sharing specific insights, experiences, and things that I enjoyed. For the month of May I plan on sharing some of my favorite spots in Europe. In June, I plan on doing a local travel guide of Portland and surrounding areas (such as coastal destinations and Mt. Hood), and I also plan on covering two additional US cities (more on that later).

So without further ado… Barcelona.

The picture above is of Gaudí’s stunning Park Güell, with its gingerbread-house-style buildings and panoramic views of the city and coastline. I loved Gaudí’s whimsical architecture (Catalan Modernism) and wandering through this truly unique park.

I recommend buying tickets for the park at least a day in advance. On our first day in Barcelona we stopped by the park (without tickets) and would have had to wait all afternoon to get in (they assign you a specific time slot based on availability). So we ended up rearranging our plans and buying tickets for the following day.

As much as I enjoyed the park, I was in awe of Gaudí’s lifelong project, the Sagrada Familia. We’ve been to St. Peter’s, Notre Dame, and Westminster Abbey–all of which are beautiful with their own styles and historical significances. However, that being said, the Sagrada Familia is my personal favorite. Despite that this church has been under construction since 1882 and has yet to be completed, this stunning basilica has this ethereal, dreamlike quality that quite simply captivated me. Even though there are cranes towering above the spires, I loved the intricate facades, the Gothic influences, and the immense stained glass.

I also was struck by the fact that in Gaudí’s own lifetime, not even one-quarter of the project was finished. It’s bittersweet that he could never see it completed, but also inspiring that he contributed to such a lasting legacy. Allegedly, the church will be completed by 2026, which would mark the 100-year anniversary of Gaudí’s death. We hope to return one day to see it in all its finished glory.

Something that was particularly special for my husband, who has played soccer since childhood and played in college as well, was the chance to see FC Barcelona play at the famous Camp Nou, which is Europe’s largest soccer stadium. This stadium is massive and the energy was truly electric; we also got to see Lionel Messi (one of the best players in the world!) score a hat trick.

As for hotel accommodations, we stayed at the Hotel Jazz, a lovely modern hotel in the heart of the city. Our room was spacious and had a great balcony, with a gorgeous view of the Barcelona skyline (shown below). We also very much enjoyed the rooftop pool and bar!

The hotel is located just a few minutes’ walk from the Ramblas, a famous street that has restaurants, florists, shops, and is great for people-watching. One of my favorite drinks is Sangria (a Spanish classic!), and my husband and I enjoyed cocktails and tapas on the Ramblas and watching the hustle and bustle of this iconic promenade.

For each destination in this travel series, I want to provide a sample of what I packed. As illustrated below, I like to stay within a certain color palette when traveling because it maximizes outfit options without overpacking! Black, white, stripes, and a dash of red accents were perfect for our trip to Barcelona. As I mentioned in a previous post, the Longchamp Le Pliage totes are so convenient for travel. They’re durable, water-resistant, and fold flat if you need to pack them into a suitcase.

Floral Skirt: J. Crew Factory (similar here and here)  Black Top: Lush (similar here)  Red Top: Pleione (similar here)  Black Ponte Pants: Jolt (similar here)  Striped Top: H&M (similar here)  Scarf: FC Barcelona (similar here)  Tote:Longchamp Small Le Pliage  Sunglasses: Ray-Ban Clubmaster

Barcelona is one of those places I instantly felt at home and truly can’t wait to return. Not only is the city very charming with its eclectic architecture and romantic atmosphere, the people themselves are so kind and welcoming.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!